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| Research, Faculty |
Our faculty are interested in a broad range of research topics in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Below is a brief description of their research areas.
Roger A. Acey, Ph.D.
Professor, Biochemistry.
My research is focused on the biochemistry and genetics of early embryonic development and cell differentiation. We are particularly interested in the role of cholinesterases and essential trace metals in neuron differentiation and the impact environmental factors have on developing neurons. Umbilical cord stem cells are being used for these studies. Another project in my lab is to evaluate the role of posttranslational modification of nuclear proteins, i.e., glycosylation, as a mechanism for regulating gene transcription during early development.
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Dennis Mark Anjo, Ph.D.
Professor, Analytical Chemistry/Electrochemistry
The use of photoacoustic and related photothermal spectroscopies to probe biological materials. Studies on the mechanism of electron transfer at carbon film electrodes.
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Stuart R. Berryhill, Ph.D.
Professor, Organometallic Chemistry.
Use of iron and molybdenum organometallic reagents in organic synthesis. Chemistry of compounds having a bond between silicon and a transition metal.
Christopher Brazier, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Physical Chemistry
Spectroscopy of gas phase free radicals. My research involves the characterization of small molecules such as B2, AlC, AlB, and SiB by observing their electronic emission spectra in a corona excited supersonic expansion source. The spectra of the rotationally cold molecules provide information on the energies and bonding in many different electronic states of these molecules.
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Xianhui Bu, Ph. D.
Professor, Inorganic Chemistry, Solid State Chemistry
My research area includes the synthesis, structural, and property characterization of solid-state inorganic materials or inorganic-organic hybrid materials. The synthesis is often performed at low temperatures (below 373K) to allow access to the metastable phase domain. In general, these materials are crystalline and their ordered atomic structures can be studied with powder and single crystal diffraction techniques. We seek to correlate structural features with observed physical properties and to design synthetic methods to prepare functional materials and to tune their properties. We are interested in a range of solid state materials including micro- and meso-porous materials, catalytic materials, and electronic or ionic conductors. A state-of-the-art X-ray diffractometer with a two-dimensional CCD detector is available for the structure determination of crystalline samples from room temperature down to the liquid-nitrogen temperature.
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Paul T. Buonora, Ph.D.
Professor, Organic Chemistry
Asymmetric synthetic methods development utilizing chiral amino alcohols. Synthesis of novel gamma-dicarbonyl derived compounds with pharmacological potential. The use of organic-zinc species in organic synthesis. Applications of the above to solid phase synthesis.
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Jeffrey A. Cohlberg, Ph.D.
Professor, Biochemistry
Physical protein biochemistry. Study of protein misfolding and aggregation and its role in neurodegenerative disease, with current emphasis on the aggregation of the enzyme superoxide dismutase and its role in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease).
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Lijuan Li, Ph.D.
Professor, Inorganic Chemistry
Areas of research include inorganic new materials and biological activities of transition metal complexes containing nitric oxide. Current projects include (1) interactions of iron-nitrosyl complexes with nucleotides and DNA, (2) inorganic new materials containing metallicenium donors (D) and cyanocarbon acceptors (A) forming linear chain structure and exhibiting cooperative magnetic phenomena, (3) porphyrins and metalloporphyrins of Co-TPP, and (4) fluxionality in paramagnetic organometallic systems. A variety of experimental techniques such as NMR, EPR, IR, MS, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical methods are used to characterize the complexes and to study their dynamic structures.
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Robert L. Loeschen, Ph.D.
Professor, Organic Chemistry; Associate Dean of Facilities, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Photochemistry of organic compounds including the study of the excited states responsible for reactions, the mechanisms of the reactions, and the isolation of products arising from exposure of organic compounds to ultraviolet light.
Marco A. Lopez, Ph.D.
Professor, Organic Chemistry.
Modeling of hemoglobin and myoglobin with iron porphyrin (heme) systems. Computer modeling with the AMBER software package. Statistical analytical techniques including Factor Analysis and curve-fitting techniques.
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Tom J. Maricich, Ph.D.
Professor, Organic Chemistry.
Chemistry of sulfur and nitrogen containing functional groups. Synthesis of sulfonimidate antitumor agents. Chemistry of sulfonimidates and sulfonimidate precursors.
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Eric R. Marinez, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Organic Chemistry.
Knowledge about how enzymes function is fundamental to our understanding of life. My research group is developing highly preorganized ligands that will mimic enzymes for use in asymmetric catalysis and as synthetic receptors to bind organoammonium ions. After studying and developing these ligands in organic solvents, one long-term goal of my research is to modify them with water-solubilizing units so that we can explore their potential use in biologically relevant aqueous media. A third project in my group is synthesizing sequestering agents for ferric ion bionding that mimic the E. coli siderophore enterobactin (1).
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Douglas D. McAbee, Ph.D.
Professor, Biochemistry.
Iron- and copper-binding proteins. Mechanisms and pathways for turnover of iron-binding proteins and iron recycling. Hepatic metabolism of the iron-binding protein lactoferrin. Identification and molecular analysis of lactoferrin receptors. Structure- function analysis of the cell-binding domain(s) of lactoferrin. Molecular analysis of the carbohydrate-independent interaction of lactoferrin with the RHL-1 subunit of the asialoglycoprotein receptor.
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Brian L. McClain
Assistant Professor, Physical/Biophysical Chemistry
My current research focuses on understanding the dynamical interactions of drugs and fatty acids with human serum albumin (HSA). HSA is the most abundant protein in blood plasma and it has been associated with osmotic regulation, drug sequestering, and general substrate transport. Although much research has been performed on HSA, a molecular understanding of HSA-substrate interactions and the time scales that they occur on is still lacking. In order to elucidate these interactions, Time-Resolved Infrared (TRIR) spectroscopy is used in conjunction with temperature jump experiments to track the motions of HSA as the drugs ibuprofen and warfarin are released. This provides dynamical information on the residue motions in HSA that control drug binding and selectivity. Instrumentation currently used includes a Bruker step-scan FTIR, which is capable of resolving protein motions from 5 ns up to milliseconds, and a pulsed YAG laser for temperature jump experiments.
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Margaret L. Merryfield, Ph.D.
Professor, Biochemistry.
Enzymology, including kinetics, inhibitor studies, purification, and characterization, as applied to the study of rate-limited steps in metabolic pathways. Regulation of alpha-keto acid dehydrogenases by protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation. Sites and mechanisms of hormonal control. Action of monovalent and divalent cations in enzyme systems.
Stephen Mezyk, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Physical Chemistry
My research interests involve the use of physical and analytical chemistry techniques to study applied problems in environmental chemistry. I am concerned with the experimental and theoretical study of kinetics, energetics and mechanisms of short-lived (transient) species such as ions, excited species, and radicals in the solid, liquid (notably water) and gas phases.
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Kensaku Nakayama, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Organic Chemistry.
Synthetic methods in organic chemistry. Application of chiral phosphorus compounds in the development of stereoselective synthetic methods. Synthesis and evaluation of novel chiral compounds as potential chiral auxiliary reagents for efficient enantio- and diastereoselective transformations.
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Young-Seok Shon, PhD.
Associate Professor, Organic Chemistry
Material Chemistry and Nanoscience
The common thread of my research is the use of synthesis (organic, inorganic, or solid-state) to prepare new nanomaterials for technological applications. Current research focuses on the synthesis, characterization and application of nanomaterials including nanoparticle-cored dendrimers (NCDs), nanoparticle megamers, ionic monolayer-protected clusters (IMPCs), C60-nanoparticle hybrid nanostructures, and nanoparticle multilayer films. The availability of effective methods for the preparation of various nanostructures will allow us to exploit these nanomaterials in a variety of ways including energy storage, sensors, drug/reagent deliveries, catalysis and electronics.
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Kasha Slowinska, Ph. D.
Assistant Professor, Analytical Chemistry
Bioanalytical chemistry and bioengineering. Research in my Group is focused on developing strategies for long term operation of implantable sensors. Current research projects are concerned with design, fabrication and testing of micro-devices for measurements of directional diffusion. These devices, fabricated using photolithographic techniques, are used to perform measurements in engineered collagen matrix and in a fibroblast cell culture. We are interested in correlating structural properties of collagen matrix with the rate of molecular transport in a specific direction. Students in my Group are involved in several subprojects including collagen engineering, permittivity studies, and development of sensors and optimization of their performance.
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Krzysztof (Chris) Slowinski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Surface Science, Molecular Electronics.
My Research Group develops experimental approaches addressing the intrinsic electrical properties of molecules and the electrical properties of a metal / molecule interface. In particular, we build tunnel junction devices to measure the rates of electron transfer through variety of molecular assemblies. Both macroscopic (based on a small Hg drop) and microscopic (based on the conductive probe atomic force microscopy) tunnel junctions are explored.
We are also interested in the kinetics of electron transfer between redox probe and the metallic electrode covered by a monomolecular film. In this project we use self-assembly and Langmuir-Blodgett techniques to form monolayers of long-chain alkanethiols or other molecules on the surface of a metallic electrodes. Using classical electrochemical techniques we measure the rate of electron transfer between the redox probe present in the solution and the metallic electrode as a function of thickness and chemical identity of a blocking monolayer and the size and hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of a redox probe. Since the presence of a blocking monolayer slows down the rate of electrochemical process by many orders of magnitude, we are also able to investigate the kinetics of redox processes at very high driving forces. Under such conditions, interesting phenomena, predicted by Marcus theory, can be observed. Fundamental information gained from relatively simple experiments described above are used in analyzing the properties of more complex molecular systems.
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Dr. Eric J. Sorin
Assistant Professor, Computational & Physical Chemistry
Can computers really help us understand chemistry and biology at the molecular level? My research focuses on computational chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, and biophysics, with a primary focus on using molecular dynamics simulations to study biological systems. Areas of special interest include protein and RNA folding & misfolding, the effects of solvation and confinement on polymer systems, the averaging of simulated molecular events into an ensemble signal, and the development and testing of new methods and models for biomolecular simulation.
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Paul M. M. Weers, Ph.D.
Professor, Biochemistry
Research interest: Lipoproteins and lipid transport.
Lipoproteins are large complexes of lipids and apolipoproteins, and are responsible for transport and redistribution of lipids. They play a crucial role in hart disease and Alzheimer's disease. Apolipoproteins are highly adaptable, enabling them to exist in lipid-free and lipid-bound states. My research is focused on understanding the molecular basis of apolipoprotein structure and lipid binding, using a multi-disciplinary approach of biochemistry, spectroscopy (fluorescence and circular dichroism) and molecular biology (recombinant protein expression and site-directed mutagenesis).
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Last updated 08/25/2009 01:36 PM
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